3 Medal of Honor winners in LV to back Bush

Jace Radke

Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004 | 9:09 a.m.

Three Medal of Honor recipients and a former member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were in Las Vegas Wednesday campaigning for President Bush and urging citizens to register to vote.

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Pat Brady said that other than his family the most important thing in his life is to help re-elect George Bush.

"The president has a spine of steel when it comes to making a decision, and he sticks to his decisions," Brady said to about 15 Bush supporters at a small rally at the Las Vegas Executive Air Terminal at McCarran International Airport. "He will never, ever waver in the fight against terrorism."

Brady and two other Medal of Honor recipients were joined by retired Gen. P.X. Kelley, who was a member of the Joint Chiefs in the mid-1980s and also served as commandant of the Marine Corps.

The retired military officials are touring the country to encourage voting and support for the president, Kelley said.

"This is voter registration week and all service members, veterans and Americans need to take advantage of our sacred trust and vote," Kelley said.

After speaking to supporters for about 20 minutes, Kelley and the others visited a Veterans of Foreign Wars post near Nellis Air Force Base. Veterans at the post have been calling citizens and reminding them to register to vote.

After visiting the VFW Kelley and Brady's group flew on to its next stop in Phoenix.

Kelley said that he has served every president since Harry Truman and said he believes Bush is one of the best the country has ever had.

"I think I know what a commander in chief looks like," Kelley said. "I think I know what a commander in chief acts like. The president is a man of courage, conviction, honesty and integrity."